NORTH EASTERN MONTANA 121 



1900 and 1910 settlers flocked in iuul now there are less than 1.400 acres of 

 public land remaining. Soil types are fairly uniform, sandy loams predominating 

 except along the bottom lands of the Poplar River which carry the heavier clay 

 types. The best crop land is located on the benches, while grazing is carried on 

 in the valley and on the hillsides. 



There are a few large flocks of sheep but the pastoral era is virtually gone, 

 with farming as the count.v's only important industry. Spring wheat is the lead- 

 ing cash crop, accounting for about 80 per cent of the total farm 

 An Agricultural receipts, and followed b.v dairy and poultr.v products and then 

 District flax. Both hard spring and macai'oni varieties of wheat are 



grown and are of high quality. Oat.s, occupying aboiit one- 

 fourth of the acreage in wheat, is the second most important crop. Flax, a cash 

 crop, vies with hay, a feed crop, for third place. A little rye and barley is grown. 

 Corn is gradually assuming a place in the crop rotation plan, assuring a feed 

 crop every year, which will permit of diversified farming and an increase in live- 

 stock, thereby lessening the risk always attendant in the one-ci'op system. 

 Interest in flax reviving, a number of farmers using a mixture of wheat and flax 

 to overcome the weeds, the worst enemy of flax. During the first years of settle- 

 ment, flax was the principal crop. 



While most of the country is tillable, only one-third of it is included in farms 



and less than a fifth of it is improved. The State of Montana owns 240,000 



acres, or more than a fourth, and another sixth is included in 



Much Land the Fort Peck Indian reservation, iluch of this reservation 



Available land is open to homestead entry, but the settler must pay 



the appraised price, from .$S to $12 an acre. The state land can 



also be purchased at auction for not less than the apprai.sed price. It can also 



be leased for either farming or grazing. 



Two railroads serve the eastern part of the county, but the western half needs 

 more transportation facilities for pi-oper development. "Whitetail. in the northeast- 

 ern part of the county, is the terminus of a branch of the Soo. The Bainville- 

 Plentywood branch of the Great Northern ends at Scobey in the east central part 

 of the county. 



Scobey is the largest town and most important distributing point. Whitetail 

 is the second largest town. Madoc and Flasville serve the needs of the heaviest 

 wheat producing districts. 



There are extensive beds of lignite coal in the county. 



DANIELS COUNTY — Ranks thirty-fifth in population (5,480); forty-fifth in area 

 (910,080 acres): seventeenth in combined 1922 crop and livestock value; thirty-fourth 

 in bank deposits, 1922; fifty-second in assessed valuation. 1922. Acres public land, 

 1,360; acres state land, 241,987; acres Indian reservation (most of it allotted), 137,149. 



WEALTH PRODUCTION — Estimated 1922 crop value, $2,767,000; estimated live- 

 stock value, .January, 1923, $1,096,000; total bank deposits. September 15, 1922, $960,621. 



TAXATION 1922 — Total assessed valuation. $9,436,997: total taxable value, 

 $2,829,174. Total outstanding- county bond indebtedness, $80,000; total outstanding 

 county warrant indebtedness. $285,758; total outstanding- school bond indebtedness, 

 $143,250; other school debts, $31,098. Total general and special county taxes, $117,797: 

 total general and district school taxes, $103,127: total municipal taxes, $31,193; total 

 state taxes, $13,843; total tax (inclusive municipal), per capita, $48.53. 



EDUCATIONAL — Number graded schools, 44; enrollment, 1,061. Number high 

 schools, 4; enrollment, 114. 



BUSINESS STATISTICS — Number of railroads. 2; railway mileage, exclusive spurs 

 and sidetracks. 26.99. Number of banks, 6. Number general" stores, 14; confectionery, 

 etc., 2; groceries and meats, 4; lumber yards, 9; total nunvber merchants, 112. Total 

 assessed valuation 1922 merchandise, $333,088. Number grain elevators. 11; total ca- 

 pacity. 292.000 bushels. Number flour mills, 1. Number of lawyers, 10. Number of 

 physicians, 2. 



AGRICULTURE (estimated 1922) — Number farms. 1,200; farm acreage, 336,819; 

 improved farm acreage, 162,150; irrigated acreage, 1,075; average value all property, 

 per farm. $11,009. Livestock assessed 1922 — number cattle, 10,295; number sheep, 3,862;- 

 number horses, 10,582. 



CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA — Not available. See Sheridan County. 



County Seat. Scobey. Elevation, 2,458 feet. Population County Seat, 1,170. 



County Agricultural Agent — Yes. 



